


A Thousand Lifetimes and More

by Anonymous



Category: EXO, SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Greek Religion & Lore Fusion, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Idols, M/M, NHEV, No Happy Ending Fest, sort of 25 Lives AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 20:27:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29938956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Past lives couldn't ever hold me downLost love is sweeter when it's finally foundI've got the strangest feelingThis isn't our first time aroundPast lives couldn't ever come between usSome time the dreamers finally wake upDon't wake me I'm not dreaming
Relationships: Oh Sehun/Yoon Jeonghan
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7
Collections: No Happy Ending Fest - 2020





	A Thousand Lifetimes and More

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt #:** R5-257  
>  **Prompt:** Do you know how tiring it is for me to be the only one to remember all our past lives and being the only one to relive the pain of losing you again and again?  
>  **Pairing/Main Character(s):** Sehun/Jeonghan  
>  **Side Characters(if any):** brief mentions of NCT Johnny and Ten  
>  **Word Count:** 2,670K  
>  **Warning(s)/Additional Tag(s):** repeated character death, small mentions of war  
>  **Author's Notes:** Summary from sapientdream - past lives

**_Of Gods and Men_ **

After hearing the infamous stories of Cupid and Psyche, Helen and Paris, Adonis and Persephone, and even the lesser-known tale of Cinyras and Myrrha, people believe that everyone should know better. Spurring the ire of Aphrodite, for whatever rhyme or reason, is something to avoid at all costs.

And Sehun should have known better.

He was the product of Aphrodite’s whims after all. The goddess is known for her trickster ways, playing with other gods, luring them into affairs with any human or creature she chooses.

Born out of Aeolus’ lust for a mortal woman hailing far to the east of Mount Olympus, Sehun lived most of his young life hearing the stories from his mother.

_ Don’t tempt the goddess to play with your fate.  _

Sehun is a mere human though, a slave to his own desires regardless if Aphrodite played a part or not.

It’s his sixteenth year when love finally strikes. Sehun is immediately smitten when he catches a glimpse of a boy walking through the market, the light of the golden sun casting a glow on his silhouette as if he is a beacon. Sehun’s gaze follows the other’s every move, as if memorizing every detail — how his long hair dances with every step he takes, the angelic smiles he flashes merchants as he surveys their goods, the gleeful expression that takes over when he wins a bargain.

Sehun is infatuated, and he needs to know more.

With how a handful of servants were always a few mere steps behind, Sehun knows it won’t be an easy task. If he wasn’t someone important, then he was the son of one.

“Oh Sehun! Are you up to no good again?”

The sudden exclamation from one of the vendors makes him jump, inadvertently into the path of the subject of his infatuation. Sehun squeezes his eyes shut as he fails to keep balance, falling hard to the ground, right at the beautiful creature’s feet.

When he opens his eyes, it’s to see a mirthful gaze and an amused smile. “Do you need help, Oh Sehun?”

“You know my name?”

“I think the whole market knows your name by now,” the other says laughingly.

Sehun has the decency to blush, pushing himself off the ground and patting away the dirt on his clothing. “My apologies for being in your way-” he trails off.

“Jeonghan. My name is Yoon Jeonghan,” the other continues. “I have a feeling I’ll be seeing more of you around, Oh Sehun.”

And he did.

He didn’t know which god he had to thank, but somehow, Yoon Jeonghan, the second son of a palace doctor, found the company of Oh Sehun, the only son of a lowly fruit farmer, to be just what he wanted in life.

Sehun’s infatuation grew greater the more time he spent with Jeonghan, slowly turning into affection, surely leading to love.

Sehun decides to send a prayer to Aeolus, thanking the keeper of the winds for having been born into this life. He hadn’t anticipated for his father to answer back, much less show up in their modest backyard a few nights later.

“Are you angry that your son has fallen for someone who can give you no descendants?”

“My only wish is for you to be happy, child. Beyond that, I also want you to be careful of your words.”

Sehun sends him a confused glance.

“I’ve heard your prayers and seen your thoughts. Your growing affection for Yoon Jeonghan may tip the scales of fate out of your favor if you do not keep yourself under control. Do not fall for the same tricks that I did.”

With that, Aeolus disappears with the wind.

Sehun figures out what his father meant not long after.

In his carelessness, Sehun had drunkenly uttered how he thinks Jeonghan is more beautiful than any creature on this earth, that not even a god or spirit can compare.

Aphrodite heard him loud and clear, her punishment swift. But the winds were faster, warning Sehun of Jeonghan’s impending doom because of his mistake.

Sehun ran to Jeonghan’s home as fast as he could, his heavy footfalls echoing in the silence of the dark night. Alas, he was too late.

A servant had been tricked into giving her master poison. As Jeonghan lay on the floor unmoving, the servant turned to Sehun, her eyes glazed over as if they weren’t her own. He was expecting for her to speak, perhaps to relay a message from Aphrodite. However, the servant did the unthinkable, drinking from the same poisoned cup as Jeonghan. Before the toxins could claim her life, she screamed for help, alerting the guards of trouble.

Sehun is quick to realize the implications of his presence. He knows he’ll face punishment for Jeonghan’s death, that his mother will likely become a pariah when people learn of a crime he didn’t commit.

As the guards came closer to Jeonghan’s quarters, Sehun sent his father another prayer.

_ Please watch over mother. _

Though he had not always been there for his son, Aeolus still loved him. Angered that his kin had fallen victim to Aphrodite once again, and saddened that young lives were cut too short, Aeolus asks Hades for a boon.

The god of the underworld rarely takes exception for any soul, but he began to reconsider after learning that Sehun’s damnation was nothing more than a ploy of Aphrodite’s. Persephone, his queen and goddess of the spring, was key in saving Sehun’s soul. Upon learning of Sehun’s final prayer, she realizes that his mother is one of her disciples, a humble farmer tilling the soil in hopes for blessings from her and Demeter.

“I can only save Sehun’s soul,” Hades reveals. “That of the other child will depend on judgment.”

Persephone offers a somber smile for Aeolus. She knows the consequences of saving only one half of the pair. “Your son can possibly face more heartbreak in the future. Guide him well.”

  
  


**_The Three Kingdoms_ **

Sehun finds himself standing guard at an empty palace’s gates. A new consort was entering the harem, and was somehow granted a small residence of their own. Sehun didn’t care to know the details, rather, he was too distracted to listen.

He hasn’t had a good night’s rest for several days. If he’s to be true to himself, he’s not had one of those since he was 16. But the past few weeks had been uncharacteristically bad. For years, Sehun has been dreaming, recalling, living through memories that he knows aren’t his. Yet in all those moments, he can clearly see his face and that of someone else. Each time he wakes up from one of those dreams, Sehun could feel nothing but a sense of longing for something or someone he doesn’t even know.

“Head up, soldier!”

The other guard on duty pulls him back to reality mere moments before a carriage approaches. It was a small party with only two maids and a handful of personal guards. The lack of fanfare is odd, but not unwelcome. Perhaps this consort can live a quiet life in the palace.

Sehun is quick to figure out that such will not be the case the second he finally lays eyes on the consort. A flood of images rush through his head, a name falling from his lips unintentionally. The consort looks at him curiously, no trace of recognition, no hint of malice. Sehun rights himself and adds the appropriate title lest he earn himself any demerits and be sent to guard the cold palace instead.

The dreams get more vivid from then on, and Sehun wonders if he’s the only one who has them. He weighs the thought of asking, but he fears being told he was out of his mind. So he chooses to keep quiet. If the dreams he keeps having are memories from his past life, perhaps it was better for him to do nothing.

Jeonghan prevents him from doing that, though.

As one of the few male members of the harem, the king’s visits come few and far between. The kingdom needs heirs and heiresses to thrive after all. As such, Jeonghan leads a boring routine as his every day, made somewhat more interesting by befriending the guards and maids.

While preferential treatment was nothing new among consorts and their servants, Sehun finds himself getting dangerously close. From an innocent friendship to an illicit affair, Sehun finds himself loving Jeonghan in the way his dreams have always foretold.

But much like the Sehun and Jeonghan in his dreams, theirs is a story that doesn’t work in their favor. An unannounced visit from the king catches them in various states of undress. Jeonghan was property of the king, and Sehun’s caught stealing from the crown.

Sehun could only scream and cry as he watches Jeonghan experience unimaginable torture, wincing when a guard taunts him to say that his suffering was all Sehun’s fault.

It’s also Sehun’s fault that they die by hanging two days later.

When Sehun starts getting vivid dreams at the age of 16, he’s much more knowledgeable. Hardened by the experiences in his past lives, he vows to live a happier life this time around, a feat made difficult by the opposing sides he and Jeonghan find themselves on.

Sehun senses Jeonghan’s presence before he sees him, still beautiful as ever for an existence that doesn't belong there. Sehun pretends that he's unaware of why Jeonghan was there, letting the other get as close as necessary to allow him time in laying out his plans.

Sehun believes that Jeonghan’s defenses are down after the weeks and months they've spent befriending each other. A commanding officer of the Goguryeo army and his trusty soldier wasn't such an odd sight after all.

Except Jeonghan was a spy from Silla, and the kingdoms were on the brink of war.

The night before they set on the road for the border, Sehun lays all his pieces down. He talks of gods and goddesses foreign to their beliefs, of times and lives they've had before, of their carelessness that cut their happiness short. Jeonghan takes them all in, no indication if he believed Sehun or not.

Jeonghan wasn't among the ranks come daybreak, several guards whispering about deserting. Sehun has a sinking feeling that he'll see the other on the battlefield, but not as a commanding officer and his trusty soldier. They were enemies after all. His only wish was that neither of them had to be the one to kill the other.

Jeonghan knew him best, though.

Sehun felt the slight force of the blade tip his chin upwards, forcing him to look at his attacker.

Bruised, bloodied, and beautiful as always.

Sehun is unsure how reincarnation works, if one's actions in the previous life will determine your birthright into the next.

In this lifetime, he's the 13th prince of Goryeo. Again, the dreams start when he turns 16. He realizes that it's the age when he met Jeonghan in their first life together, serving as a precursor of what was to come.

In this lifetime, Jeonghan is a refugee from Hubaekje. And despite the warnings from his brothers, he gives chase.

Jeonghan is hostile at first, a fact not surprising to Sehun. His kingdom had caused the fall of the other’s after all. But Sehun hopes that he can show Jeonghan what a beautiful life they could lead here, and perhaps they can find their happy ending.

But while Jeonghan had gradually lowered his guards down, Sehun could tell there was still an underlying sadness there. And when word got out of a refugee rebellion, both of them knew they had one last chance to say their goodbyes.

"I guess this is the end," Jeonghan sighs. "Thank you for your kindness."

"Not quite," Sehun replies. He could see the confusion on Jeonghan’s face, choosing only to smile in response. "In another lifetime, I'll tell you everything you want to know."

While Jeonghan goes to fight for the rights of his people, Sehun locks himself in his room, praying for the next life to be fairer.

  
  


**_Lost and Fleeting_ **

  
  


Sehun thinks that no god is ever listening. Perhaps having Aeolus ask for his soul was the last good thing he was ever going to get.

He loses count of how many lifetimes have passed, most of them ending just as tragically as the first, some that offer hope that the end of the cycle is near, a few where fate is harsh and don't let them meet at all.

In each one, Sehun dreams of Jeonghan when he reaches 16. In each one, only Sehun carries the memories. In some, Sehun tries to convince Jeonghan of the many lives they've shared. In some, he keeps those secrets to himself. In every one, Sehun asks the gods how cruel they can get.

There was a life that saw Sehun as a doctor during the plague. Jeonghan dies as one of his patients.

There was a life that saw Jeonghan live happily, just with Sehun’s sister and not with him.

His favorite life thus far has to be the one where they were lowly farmers. The work and lifestyle reminded him of his first mother. They were impoverished but content, with Sehun telling tall tales about characters seemingly made up, entertaining Jeonghan with stories he never knew he lived through. Sehun thinks this life is a gift from Persephone. If this was the last of it, Sehun would accept it.

But what was once his boon is now his curse. After so many lifetimes, he realizes that the cycle is neverending.

He'll live, he'll dream, they'll find each other, they end, only for everything to go on again.

  
  
  


**_The Dreamer Finally Wakes Up_ **

In this lifetime, Sehun is a celebrity. He still doesn't know how reincarnation works and if his past actions will determine his fate in the future. The difference is, in this lifetime, he's not alone.

If a lowly deity could give his son eternal chances at finding his soulmate, there was no reason for a god or goddess to be unable to do the same.

But while Sehun appreciates having someone to turn to, he's not quite fond of the fact that half of the pair is a son of Aphrodite. Ten may not be his favorite person based on his lineage, but at least Johnny's not all that bad.

Johnny knows practically everything about Sehun, including the stories of his past incarnations and how cruel fate has been.

"Maybe it'll be better now," he says with a shrug. "You did say that the few times you were able to find happiness with him was when you were on the same level. No officer and prisoner, no prince and refugee, just two people on equal ground. Now you're both here, and this event looks like the perfect excuse to talk to him."

Sehun argues otherwise, that maybe the point in all of this is not for them to always be together, but to just make the best of whatever situation they find themselves in. Johnny refuses to understand, and Sehun gets it. He's only had the happiest of lives after all.

"Try to look at it from my perspective," Sehun suggests.

"Hmm?"

Recognition hits him in the chest as he realizes that it was no longer Johnny he was talking to. Ill-prepared for this conversation, Sehun bolts, muttering an 'I'm sorry' as he goes.

But Sehun is merely a man, weak to his own curiosities and desires. He chances a look, finding Jeonghan flanked by other people, possibly asking what that was all about.

"What did sunbae want with you?"

Jeonghan shrugs, "I don't really know," he trails off.

"Why do you seem so sad?"

"You'll think this is weird but," Jeonghan pauses. "I was hoping he would talk to me. There are a couple of things I wanted to ask him."

"Like what?"

"Something about his dreams."

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not entirely happy with this, but at the same time, I know this is as good as I can get out of me. I hope whoever reads this likes it either way.


End file.
